Voters who had turned up to elect their youth leaders from the ruling National resistance movement and Democratic Party on Wednesday had to abandon the entire voting process after chaos erupted at several polling stations. The voting process that had been scheduled to officially start at mid day had to be shifted to 3pm after the voters failed to turn up. Melee ensued at several polling stations after the two rival political parties accused the other of ferrying in ineligible voters to disorganize the elections. Some voters were turned away after their names were missing on the Electoral Commission register. However the polls were destined for failure after the Electoral commission resolved that they (polls) would be held by lining up an old method and not by secret ballot. The Electoral commission cited lack of resources to hold the polls.
“Lining up behind a candidate is an old voting method which cannot work in this 21st century. The Electoral Commission didn’t plan adequately for the youth elections. The presiding officers and supervisors were overwhelmed by the huge task of coordinating the exercise. At every polling station there was one presiding officer who had to cross check and verify the voter’s names” a voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
“We have been overstretched because the voters started arriving at 3pm at several polling stations. We lacked manpower and security to peacefully handle the whole exercise” Entebbe Municipality Division A Electoral commission supervisor Dorothy Makanga said. By 5pm most polling stations decided to call of the exercise indefinitely.
